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Open Shift

It might be human nature, or it might be a " Canadian thing ", but we never, ever, seem to get things just right.

Take the Canadian Open Golf Tournament.

Historically, the Canadian Open was held in early September, a great time of the year for golf & sports,.... BUT not always a great time of the year for weather and in a few instances, Glen Abbey at Oakville especially, was plagued by rain.

So in 2007, the Canadian Open shifted dates and was staged in late July, the very heart of the golf season.

......BUT, it also was the week after the British Open, meaning many of the PGA’s top players miss the Canadian Open as they recovered from the challenging conditions and travel of the major.

So now, commencing next year, the RBC Canadian Open has a new date; June 6th-9th at the Hamilton Golf and Country Club, which will be a week BEFORE the U.S. Open,

From the outside, it looks like a good call and as a Canadian, I hope they're successful in heightening the tournament profile; The Canadian Open, our national championship, is the third oldest tournament on the PGA Tour behind only the British and U.S. Opens.

Plus, an apparent surge in successful Canadian competitors, male and female, has certainly spiked my interest.

Brooke Henderson from Smith's Falls & Brittany Marchand from down Highway 10 at Orangeville have been notable on the ladies leaderboards.

And among the men, Corey Conners out of nearby Listowel has had a solid season and his entry makes the Canadian Open even more intriguing regardless of when it's staged on the golf calendar.